Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy, is a urological disease in which the prostate enlarges and constricts the urethra. BPH affects a majority of the male population over 50 years of age, and is thus of great medical and commercial importance.
Surgical treatment of hypertrophy of the prostate has been a routine procedure for many years. One method of such surgical treatment is open prostatectomy wherein the gland is totally or partially removed. Another method of surgical treatment is transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Surgical treatment is an invasive procedure that may be debilitating, painful and traumatic to the patient. Such surgical treatment may result in various complications including impotence, incontinence, bleeding, infection, and other undesirable problems.
Another procedure to treat prostatic hypertrophy is to place a catheter at the external opening of the urethra and into the obstructed portions of the urethra, allowing urine to pass from the bladder by way of the catheter lumen. These urinary catheters typically employ a positioning or retention balloon at the distal tip which inflates at the bladder neck and prevents the expulsion of the catheter from the body.
Ablation techniques based on using heat, such as produced by microwave or laser energy, may be provided in combination with such catheters for treating the enlarged portion of the prostate. However, such a procedure may result in pain and discomfort to the patient.
In spite of extensive teachings and practices in the field of urology, there is an on-going need for developing and practicing improved and new urological medical devices and applications thereof, for treating benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).